10 Everyday People That Stumbled Upon Accidental Treasures And Got Filthy Rich Overnight

Surely everyone who’s ever cleaned the junk out of their attic space or bought something from a thrift store has wondered if they’re secretly looking at a forgotten treasure. Of course, the majority of it is probably useless and worth nothing, but every now and then, you’ll find something spectacular.

In that case, it’s important to have your rare item appraised by a professional. Who knows? You could wind up making a fortune from it! Just take a look at what these 10 lucky people found—and how much the items were worth—and get ready to feel green with envy!

1. A whole lot of coins: It was once rumored that a home in Windber, Pennsylvania, had a hole in the wall stashed with money. When rare coin dealer Jeff Bidelman was called to investigate, he couldn’t believe what he found…

Something caught Jeff’s eye when he peeked into the hole in the wall, so he knocked it down—and was in complete shock when a flood of coins ranging from 1793 to 1964 came spilling out. The treasure was appraised and said to be worth between $100,000 and $200,000!

2. The Australian golden nugget: Australia is known more for its wildlife than its gold rushes, so one man was beyond shocked when, while using a metal detector, he stumbled upon this gigantic golden nugget…

The massive piece weighted approximately 11 pounds! Even local experts admitted it was the largest piece of gold they’d seen in the area. That considered, it only made sense that its estimated value was a whopping $315,000!

3. The Magnolias on Gold Velvet Cloth: A man in Indiana was hoping to find something to cover a hole in his wall when he stumbled upon this painting in a thrift shop. After it caught his eye, he paid $30 for it and went about his day…

Later, while playing a game based on art auctions, the man noticed that one of the cards featured a similar painting. It was then that he discovered it was the work of Martin Johnson Heade, an American still-life painter from the 1800s. He went on to sell the painting for a whopping $1.2 million!

4. The Hoxne hoard: In 1992, Eric Lawes of Hoxne, England, was using a metal detector to search for a farmer’s lost hammer when he made the discovery of a lifetime: 15,000 coins, 200 pieces of silver, and some gold jewelry from ancient Rome…

Then, a team of archaeologists arrived to help excavate the treasure trove. In total, Eric was given a hefty payout of roughly $2.3 million. Of course, he’d have to split it with the farmer, since he’d found it on his land. Still not too shabby, huh?

5. The Declaration of Independence: You can never underestimate the power of shopping in thrift stores—you never know what you’ll find. This was evidenced by a bargain hunter in Pennsylvania who somehow discovered an original copy of the Declaration of Independence…

Just one of 24 ever printed, the bargain hunter paid a measly $4 for it—mostly because he liked the frame it was in. After he turned the document around and saw what was written on it, however, he sold it for $2.4 million.

6. The Royal One: When an Australian opal miner known solely as Bobby was preparing to retire following 40 years in his field, he made a discovery that would change his life in ways he never could’ve expected…

Working with a dental drill, Bobby dug towards the blue and green object buried just beneath the surface. What he discovered was a 306-carat opal! When the rare mineraloid went up for auction, it fetched the hefty price tag of $4 million.

7. The Staffordshire hoard: While the Hoxne hoard was quite impressive, it barely compares to the load discovered by another English farmer named Terry Herbert. He was simply looking for another farmer’s wrench with a metal detector…

Instead, he stumbled upon upwards of 3,900 artifacts. No one was quite certain why they were buried there. Still, what did the men take home for their haul? Try $4.4 million! Holy smokes!

8. The Russian soldier: When a man named George Davis passed away, his relatives were tasked with cleaning his home. That’s when they found an old Russian soldier figurine still in the original box. Apparently he’d purchased it in 1934, and left it there ever since…

When the family had it appraised, they learned it was made in 1912 by Peter Carl Fabergé, a Russian jeweler, who was commissioned by Russian Czar Nicholas II to make it for his wife, Empress Alexandra. In total, there were only 50 figurines made, and the Davis family fetched a cool $5.2 million for it!

9. A Jackson Pollock painting: When retired truck driver Teri Horton discovered a painting in a California thrift store, she put down $5 for it; she planned to use it as a dartboard. But that’s when someone pointed out she might not want to do that…

Thats because she’d actually bought an original Jackson Pollock piece of art. Her response: “Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock?” When its authenticity was confirmed, she fetched $50 million!

10. The Yosemite plate negatives: In 2000, Rick Norsigian purchased a number of glass plate negatives printed with images of Yosemite National Park on them for $45. Besides their beauty, he really didn’t think too much of the purchase. At least, not at first…

It wasn’t until later, however, that he would find out that they were original works by none other than famed photographer Ansel Adams! How much were they worth, you ask? Try an absolute staggering $200 million!

Wow! These finds prove that one minute you can be flat-broke, and the next, you’re rich! It never hurts to keep looking for your own personal treasure.